Forum - View topicEP. REVIEW: Chaos Dragon
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Miyanoai
Posts: 327 |
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Not sure if I should be attempting to partake in this discussion as I really know nothing of table top game but as an anime only viewer, I found it pretty interesting. The plot may currently be all over the place, but I found most of the characters rather enjoyable. Then again I must have rather low preferences because I tend to really the shows that people consider average.
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maximilianjenus
Posts: 2862 |
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as long as you can enjoy the meta (those are not anime characters, those are urobuchi, nasu and that other guy) it's enough.
ha, not even a murderous sword that makes people kill ech other trusts urobuchi ! [EDIT] also I found ti hilarious that urobuchi got bored of jsut travelling and had to get away from the party just to kill more characters |
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#Yggdrasil
Posts: 9 |
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" The problem is that he doesn't express any emotions toward the party, his home country, or even his own personal ambitions. He's like a weird robot with a perpetual happy face, when he's not being reminded of his horrible tool-breaking curse, which he seems to be only slightly more affected by. There's no indication that he has any idea what the ramifications of his relationships with others are, and there's no indication that he cares either"
This is, reading the notes of Nasu on him, exactly his intended characterization. Swallow has little attachment to everything, his own country included. Because, you know, of the whole "everything I use will inevitably break down" thing. In the originale RPG he never touched any human being because was afraid that his curse could break even PEOPLE. |
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JacobC
ANN Contributor
 Posts: 3728 Location: SoCal |
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Truly he is the angstiest of heroes... well, if that was the intent, Nasu succeeded. He sure did create an extremely boring faux-martyr stereotype with a silly curse who isn't any fun to watch. That aside, I'm mostly posting to say that the Chaos Dragon coverage is skipping this week's episode because I was on vacation. So the next writeup will cover episodes six and seven both. |
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#Yggdrasil
Posts: 9 |
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Here the notes: 
Also this: 
The point, I suppose, is that it's a roleplaying character, not a character born for a normal narrative. |
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killjoy_the
 Posts: 2459 |
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In any case, next episode should animate Sweallow's past. Whether he was boring or not so far is up to one's opinion, but I'd say even if you say "he's boring on purpose, it's because of his backstory!" that wouldn't make him any less boring.
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#Yggdrasil
Posts: 9 |
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Nah, I said that if it seems that he is not attached to anything is because HE IS NOT ATTACHED TO ANYTHING. That he is boring is just an anime fault. After all, very little of what we saw in the anime was in the real campaign. |
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jl07045
 Posts: 1527 Location: Riga, Latvia |
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Swallow is a character from a "normal" Nasu narrative - an average nobody with a quirky ability who turns out to be massively screwed in the head and allows the author to play with weird outlooks and abstract themes. The problem is, this is not a Nasu narrative, it's Sanda's. So we have five people trying to play in a sandbox where they can't really change much beyond whom they're going to kill. I don't know why you're posting this here though, it's either spoilers if the writers wish to portray it in future episodes or irrelevant if they don't. |
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Hameyadea
 Posts: 3679 |
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Episode #7:
While this episode kinda answered some of my questions regarding Swallow Cratsvalley's Curse -- like whether or not other "objects" (by the lack of a better word) could be considered as [tools], like living creatures (pets, humans, xxx-Ones), and will be destroyed upon "use" (whatever and however that may apply). Other questions, however, are still unanswered, such as why some swords dissipate after a single swing, while others last up to 5, when the Curse's effects take place regardless of the [tool]'s composite, material, or structural integrity. Why are clothes OK to use, but tableware are not? Does the Curse have some sorts of a limit to how big of an "object" it can affect? If not, and since Swallow was scared to touch the pet parrot so it can be assumed that living organisms can be affects by the Curse as well, why hasn't he used either Izun or the ground he was standing on as [tools]? And the obvious attempt at being melodramatic... "I was lonely since birth, but I'm still a swell of a guy who likes a nice banter and a good tea. But I can be responsible when I need to, honest. It's my sin and all, after all." Those scenes felt so dry on the emotional aspect I could've put some PB&J on it and eat it for breakfast as a light toast.
The action sequences were good and the art generally delivered (the similarities to ufotable's art style is one of the show's good points), so this episode wasn't a complete bust. |
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Merostay
 Posts: 108 |
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the reason why some swords last for more than 1 hit is lazy animation...
as for clothes, thats because the curse only affects his hands, thats why he doesnt wear gloves. also i duno if the anime is gonna go by the original story, but in the original, Swallow was locked in his room since he was little and the family only went bankrupt after he got married and scammed at the age of 17 also, for as much as Nasu embellished the story, in Red Dragon, players had to roll their past too, Last edited by Merostay on Sun Aug 16, 2015 10:05 am; edited 1 time in total |
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killjoy_the
Posts: 2459 |
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It affected the bowl he was eating from with only his mouth |
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Merostay
Posts: 108 |
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i know, but i guess the animation team just doesnt care... just like the swords if anyone cares, Swallows life history courtesy of Beast Lair`s Reiu spoiler[There are two parts to character creation in Red Dragon. First, the players bring to the table the basic concepts behind their characters (known only to themselves and the FM), and then there is the Life Path that is made in a shared session. The Life Path has itemized entries for each nation of origin/social class, and is decided by dice: "the character profile decided by fate, beyond the control of the player and the FM." After consulting with the FM, the player adjusts it to better fit their character. Below is a retrospective of Swallow's life, with some added notes. Ages 1 ~ 5: Confinement. Spends his days confined and manacled in a secluded corner of the family property. Being the heir, he does receive education. His mother zealously tended to him as well. However, the tenets of aristocratism lose their hold over him. The reality that he was "unable to possess anything" in an affluent household begins forming the foundation of his worldview. Age 6: On socioeconomic inequality, in the slums. Although he was forbidden from stepping out of his room, he sneaks out through a secret passage. Through his frequent visits to the slums, he learns of the wealth gap, and what remaining sense of entitlement he had left fades. Age 7: Pet bird becomes cat food. Comes home from the slums to be greeted by the scattered remains of his pet bird. Thus he loses his bosom friend, Shark, whom he had gone to great lengths to take care of. Realizes that, no matter how careful he tries to be, death will nonetheless come to all living things. Incidentally, the perpetrator was a feral cat. Feral animals are scary. Age 8: On socioeconomic inequality, in the slums. Just about starts to give up on his curse. People die all the time even if I'm not involved, right? So isn't the important part not the reason someone died but what to do afterwards? Age 9: The glorious history of D'natia. Engrossed in books. Learns of the wider world. Meanwhile, book after book returns to the ashes. Along with various other daily necessities. To complicate matters, Swallow remains the sole heir. His mother's mental health begins to deteriorate. Age 10: Purchases a Hybrid slave. Begs his father to purchase a Hybrid (Meryll) he saw in the market. The next day, he pleads for his parents to treat her as a maidservant rather than a slave, and Meryll becomes the adopted daughter of the Cratsvalley butler. At this time, Meryll was completely heads-over-heels for Swallow. He was, in her eyes, her prince in shining armor. Her lord savior, even. It was such that, learning of his curse, she felt as though she found her purpose in life. Age 11: Becomes acquainted with an armed monk of Huanglan. A mysterious Master Asia who shows up at the manor as a dinner guest. Under him, Swallow trains in the martial arts, but gets bored of it in a year. On the other hand, Meryll, who had begun to take lessons with him, became great friends with the monk, and becomes his apprentice. (This marks the beginning of Meryll's admiration for all things Huanglan.) Age 12: Enter the private tutor. Mostly uneventful. Diligent Meryll is hard at work, while Swallow idles his days away. Age 13 ~ 14: Years pass uneventfully as he leads the life of a noble scion. However, the family finances were slowly but surely starting to feel the strain. It must have all gone to the copious amounts of anti-Swallow time-freezing jelly (c.f. the items list; the price for that thing makes other luxury goods pale in comparison!). Meanwhile, Meryll begins to work for the Sherbette Company. Age 15: Enlightening words of the Reverend. Hurray for the One and True God. The sheltered young master falls right for the trap. Age 16: Gets along with a child of the commoners. A friend. Gains a friend in someone he met through Meryll. Friend A, who was in love with Meryll but never found the courage to confess. Friend A eventually takes up the cassock. Age 17: Grows weary of the world and enters a monastery. The shocking epiphany that "Meryll grew up." Young Swallow grows weary of the world and becomes a monk. Gets bored of it in a year. Age 18: Becomes a craftsman. Longing to create something, he aspires to become a craftsman. It's like if Flazzard started working at a gas station. After reality slapped him in the face a few times, he was fired. Meryll begins to realize that Swallow is an idiot. Age 19: Origin. Becomes acquainted with the Black Dragon, on a whim of the dragon. Meryll is kidnapped. Intervenes to rescue her. Not only is he led to run in circles, he ended up confronted by the Black Dragon. *At this point, Swallow is yet unaware that the "big terrifying thing" is the Black Dragon. When he finally managed to rescue Meryll, she was on the verge of death. He entreats the Black Dragon to save her. The Black Dragon bestows upon him the "Dark Communion" (leaving the mark of contract on his left leg). "This is only a provisional contract. It comes with the side effect of causing one to rot away in seven years." "But, that's just too cruel to Meryll! Probably!" "You are the only one who will be rotting." "Wow, that was dumb of me! Extremely!" Age 20: Challenged to a duel and wins. Age 21: Same as above. Swallow is utterly mystified. Why do I keep getting into fights? Why do people keep wanting to get into fights with me? Why? The cause is Meryll, who had revitalized the Sherbet Association and was beginning to attract attention, rejected all advances made upon her with: "Because I am Master Swallow's servant." Age 22: Falls madly in love, but turns out she was only after his money. Exactly what it says. And he even ended up with her debts. Meryll, after bursting into laughter at the ludicrousness of the whole thing, becomes furious. "What do you think you are doing?!" Though she pays off the debts of the con-artist, by then she had already taken his assets. Age 23: Grows weary of the world and enters a monastery. The shock of heartbreak leads him once again to become a monk. However, a year later he learns that the House of Cratsvalley was on the verge of bankruptcy. With his mother hospitalized and his father getting on in years, he leaves the monastery. Age 24: Joins the military. Begins his military career for the sake of money. Meryll tries to dissuade him, but Swallow held fast. The reason Meryll did so was not because she was worried for him, but rather, "I hardly think Master Swallow would make a proper soldier. The trouble you make for others would be the shame of the Cratsvalley." Age 25: Spends his days hunting. Even in the military, Swallow is as carefree as ever. Despite being on active duty, he goes hunting in his spare time. After all, hunting is a must for nobility. At the year's end, Meryll comes to visit him. "I bring unfortunate news. Although it pains me to say...well, actually, it does not. Just as water flows from mountain to valley, the house of Cratsvalley is now formally bankrupt. Any thoughts?" "You know, isn't that something one would normally sugar-coat a bit more? I think it wouldn't hurt for you to be a little nicer to me, Meryll!" "Be nice to you, Master Swallow? It would be like adding sugar to honey."] |
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Little_Hawk
Posts: 357 |
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This show is like Fantastic Four. It's trying so hard to take itself seriously, but everyone knows it's a joke, and a bad one.
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maximilianjenus
Posts: 2862 |
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at least this makes me apreciate how much of a godo show lodoss no senki is even though that one is also based on a roleplaying session.
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killjoy_the
Posts: 2459 |
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As of the time of writing this post, the Community Score for episode 8 is 0.7
Holy crap. As for the review, I'd have to sort of disagree, but not really fully, on one thing: Ka Grava being the most interesting character. To me, he's been the most disappointing one so far. Urobochi's doing his usual edgy schtick and being predictable Urobochi but still Urobochi, Nasu's doing his usual aloof-guy-with-troubled-past-who-speaks-redundantly schtick, which can be entertaining at times and completely annoying at others, but I can't really sense any of the Narita on Ka Grava's actions aside from his first episode. Since then, he's given us exposition, I suppose. A shame, since Narita's one of my favorite writers. But then, there's no real character in this show I can positively say I like better than any other one aside from saying I think Ibuki is awful. I guess I like Meryl's design, so she's the best character? |
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